February 1, 2012

Sacramento police have arrested two people suspected of shooting at Bee carriers delivering newspapers in Meadowview earlier this year.

Police say they believe the suspects mistook the victims as rival gangsters because one of them was wearing a bandana across his face to shield him from the cold as he hung out the slow-moving car, tossing newspapers, said Sgt. Andrew Pettit.

Last week, police arrested the driver of the suspect vehicle, 21-year-old Xou Thao, pictured at left, Pettit said. On Tuesday night, they arrested Thao's passenger, a 17-year-old boy they suspect fired the gun, Pettit said. His name was not released because he is a juvenile.

Both suspects face two felony charges of assault with a deadly weapon, as well as a gang enhancement, Pettit said.

The shooting occurred at 3:45 a.m. Jan. 2 as the victims - who work for South County News, which contracts with The Bee - were delivering newspapers in the area of Detroit Boulevard and Billings Way, south of Mack Road. The victims were not hit, but bullets struck two nearby homes.

The victims returned to their delivery routes after the incident.

Pettit credited gang detectives and the department's Gang Enforcement Team with a thorough investigation leading up to the arrests.

Dan Schaub, senior vice president for audience development and membership services at The Bee, also lauded the work by police.

"It sends a good message to the people in the neighborhoods and the streets that law enforcement can track down and hold accountable those who take actions that are harmful," Schaub said.

Sacto 9-1-1 Q&A

Bee reporters answer questions about area crime news, trends and other issues. QUESTION: A couple of years ago, a Sacramento tax attorney named Roni Deutch was the target of an investigation by the California Department of Justice. She was accused of bilking clients out of millions and defying a court (Read More)